Confessions of Love
by Riana Mustang
Summary: Just a sappy bit of fluff. A/U as far as my "First Apprentice" series goes. More of a stand-alone thingy. A year or so b/f Celestia is to take her trials, she realizes just *how* much Qui-Gon means to her. NO SMUT. Sorry. Celestia is 23. I'm just posting


Confessions of Love  
Author: Celestia Vitaria  
Disclaimer: I don't own George Lucas' characters. Celestia belongs to me. Please don't sue me. I have nothing of any value whatsoever. Please be merciful on me. R&R but no flames please. I have no desire to have a barbecue in December, thank you very much.  
Summary: Just a little sappy bit of romantic fluff. Kind of an A/U thing where my "First Apprentice" series is concerned. More of a stand-alone thing that I came up with just a few minutes ago. About a year or so before Celestia is to take her trials, instead of falling for Xani *mine, not the guy from the Jedi Apprentice series* she realizes just how much Qui-Gon means to her...no smut though. Sorry. Celestia is 23.  
A/N: I know the title is lame, so if anyone can help me think of something better, leave me a review and let me know. Thanks.  
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"Master, come on!" Celestia called from the common area of their hotel suite overlooking the clear blue oceans of Canria.   
  
They had just successfully finished negotiating a peace agreement between the two factions on Canria and their transport was scheduled to arrive in two days. Celestia had every intention of taking advantage of those two days.  
  
A few moments later, Qui-Gon entered the room wearing only a pair of swimming trunks. Celestia blushed and ducked her head, putting up her mental shields until she regained her composure. She had just recently began to notice just *how* handsome he truly was and to think of him as something more than she had in the past. She wasn't certain if he returned her feelings, and wasn't bold enough to find out, afraid of getting her heart broken. So she said nothing of it, keeping her feelings buried deep within her heart.  
  
If Qui-Gon noticed her sudden shyness, he didn't say anything about it. Celestia finally managed to regain at least some semblance of her composure, and dropped her shields again.  
  
"Last one down to the beach is a dinko!" Celestia laughed as she opened the door and bolted down the white sand towards the water.  
  
Qui-Gon was right behind her and with a move that caught Celestia off guard, he used the Force to pick her up, stopping her at the water's edge. She struggled, narrowing her eyes playfully as he caught up to her, looking smug.  
  
"Master! Come on! No fair! Put me down!" she shrieked, still struggling.  
  
Qui-Gon's blue eyes sparkled mischievously, a look that Celestia knew was going to be trouble for her. A moment later her suspicions were confirmed when Qui-Gon let go of his telekinetic hold on her and none too gently dropped her into the water. Spluttering, she pushed her auburn curls away from her lavender eyes and looked up to see Qui-Gon laughing at her, apparently amused at his own joke.  
  
"You know, you look rather undignified like that, little one," he smirked.  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him and sent a small Force-assisted splash towards him, hitting him square in the face. Now it was her turn to laugh at him as he wiped the water from his eyes. He raised an eyebrow at her, obviously startled by her retaliation.  
  
"As do you, Master," she smirked.   
  
Then she scrambled to her feet with a barely audible "oops" and tried to back away from him, but he was quicker. This time he physically picked her up and she squirmed, trying to get away, and as she did so, he dunked her again.   
  
"Hey, you don't fight fair!" she said as she surfaced again.  
  
"Who says I ever have?" he joked.  
  
"Hmph!" she said mock-indignantly, using the Force to drop a handful of wet sand into Qui-Gon's shoulder-length brown hair. "Take that!" Celestia laughed.  
  
But her laughter died away as Qui-Gon dove under the waves, totally disappearing from her view. She looked around almost frantically for him. The Force warned her just a split second before she felt something grab hold of her ankles and pull her beneath the ocean's surface. She shrieked as she was pulled under. When she broke the surface, she saw Qui-Gon standing in front of her, a grin playing across his lips as drops of water slipped down his bare torso.  
  
~God, he's so beautiful~ she thought to herself.  
  
Then, before she even realized what she was doing, she stood up and closed the gap between them. Gently she placed her hand on his cheek as she rose up to her full height and pressed her lips to his in a tender kiss.  
  
After a moment, Qui-Gon pulled back, startled. "Celestia?" he asked quietly.   
  
Celestia instantly found herself regretting her impulsive action. She took a step back, suddenly finding the waves extemely interesting. She felt a single tear slip down her pale cheek and sqeezed her eyes shut to hold them back.  
  
"I...I'm sorry, Master. I shouldn't have done that. I'll just leave now," she muttered miserably.  
  
She started to move past him, but he stopped her. She refused to meet his gaze, though, afraid once again of what she would see in those noble blue eyes. Qui-Gon gently placed his hand under her chin, lifting her face to his until they were eye to eye.  
  
"Celestia, do not be sorry. You have nothing to apologize for. You merely startled me, little one," he said.  
  
She sniffled. "It's just that, for a long time...well...I...that is...I've had feelings for you for a while now, feelings that go beyond a Master/Padawan relationship. I was afraid to say anything, afraid that..." she whispered, her voice trailing off.  
  
"Afraid that I didn't return those feelings?" he finished for her.  
  
She nodded miserably, and Qui-Gon took her into his arms, holding her close and trying to comfort her as he had done countless times in the past when she had been injured or upset. This time she let her tears flow, her slender body trembling almost violently against him.   
  
Qui-Gon felt his heart contract. He couldn't bear to see her hurting this way. He too, had felt the same way about her in the last few months, but he'd had the same fears, fears that she would reject him, that she didn't return his feelings. But now he knew that she did.  
  
"Celestia," he said softly. She looked up at him, her eyes red and her face tear-stained. He reached out and wiped away the tears, letting his hand rest lightly on her cheek. "I didn't say that I didn't care for you in that way. You merely startled me before."  
  
"What?" she asked softly, barely able to believe what she was hearing. Was it possible that he loved her just as much as she did him?  
  
As if reading her thoughts, he bowed his head and pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. She gasped in shock, but then she relaxed in his arms, letting herself get lost in that fiery combination of honey and spice. She found herself unable to keep her hands from wandering over his skin and through his hair. A few strands of it gently tickled her face.   
  
Finally they pulled away from each other, gazing silently into the other's eyes. They didn't need words. Both knew that they'd finally found what they needed in each other's arms. Celestia sighed and let her head fall on Qui-Gon's shoulder. By now the sun had started to sink below the horizon, setting the sky and water ablaze with it's fiery red light.  
  
"I could stay here like this forever," she said quietly.  
  
Qui-Gon nodded his agreement, gently kissing the top of her head and breathing in the scent of flowers and ocean water in her pretty auburn curls. "So could I," he replied.  
  
Celestia shivered. Qui-Gon glanced down at her, an expression of concern on his handsome, noble features. "Are you all right, love?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "Yes. It's just getting a little cold standing here. I want to go sit on the shore and watch the sunset," she answered, her voice becoming distant, almost dreamy.  
  
"All right," he said and with his arm still around her, they made their way out of the water and onto the shore.   
  
They wandered a short distance away from the waters edge and lowered themselves onto the white sand, relaxing into the familiar comfort of their newfound love and the touch of their arms around each other.  
  
"You know the Council is going to have a collective anurysm if they find out about this, right?" Celestia joked, breaking the silence.  
  
Qui-Gon chuckled. "I suspect they would," he said, before becoming serious. "You know that this changes our bond significantly, don't you?"  
  
Celestia nodded. "Yes, I'm aware of that, Master," she said quietly.  
  
"We dare not reveal this until after your trials. It would be too risky for both of us," Qui-Gon said. "But we can speak of this later. Right now I only want to enjoy the peace that is left to us here," he added as an afterthought.  
  
Celestia nodded. There was a promise in his words. Both had been too afraid to speak to the other of their hidden love, but now everything would be laid bare. There would be no more secrets between them. She sighed in contentment, again resting her head on his shoulder, her braid falling onto his arm. They stayed like that as the sun disappeared and the stars came out, sparkling almost magically in the darkened sky above like diamonds on black velvet.  
  
Celestia had never felt more at peace with the world than she did in that moment. All seemed right in the universe. She felt as though nothing could harm her, not with her love beside her. Just then he spoke, startling her out of her reverie.  
  
"Hmmm? What?" she asked, glancing up at him.  
  
"I asked if you would ever consider us...forming a life bond after you pass your trials. Think about it before you answer. Often times when such a bond is formed, it becomes so strong that if one partner dies, the other cannot survive for much longer after such a loss..." he repeated.  
  
Celestia glanced towards the ocean again, considering. After a few moments she turned back to face him and nodded. "That doesn't matter. All that matters is that we would be together. And if that time ever came, we would face it together," she replied solemnly.  
  
"I know, love. But you have to be absolutely certain that you want this. Once it's formed, there would be no going back for either of us," Qui-Gon said seriously.  
  
"I know the risks. But it's worth it to me. Are you sure *you* want this?" she said, her voice becoming a barely audible whisper as she again turned her eyes towards the ocean, watching as the gentle waves crashed upon the shore.  
  
"Yes," he answered, pressing his lips to hers again in searing kiss that sealed their promise.  
  
"Then we'll always be together?" she asked as they pulled away.  
  
Qui-Gon nodded as they stood up, brushing the sand off of their clothes. "Forever," he said quietly as they made their way up the white slope of sand towards their hotel.  
  
  
~*El Fin*~  
  
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Well, what do you think of it? Love it? Hate it? Don't know what to think of it? Thinking what in the sith is this person on? Either way, leave me a review and let me know. Please?!?! Don't make me beg here ppl! I mean it! 


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